Barbie

Before watching Barbie, I had several concerns, all stemming from the common question, "How could you pull off a Barbie movie?" After all, there’s so much good that Barbie has done, but there’s also just so much bad. The big question now is, did I love Barbie or did I hate her? If I’m honest, I loved almost every aspect of this movie. Visually it was just stunning; Greta really solidified herself here as one of the best right now. She presented a narrative that went beyond mere repetition. And in this landscape, movies really need to attract audiences using more than just cheap theatrics we've seen thousands of times before. I love when a movie entertains you but also makes you think about things you normally wouldn't. Who would've thought I would be leaving the Barbie movie questioning how the patriarchy continues to affect me? It was both amusing and serious when it needed to be. Ryan Gosling was comedy gold, and I can definitely see him getting some awards for this. Margot Robbie's performance is an obvious highlight. Barbie made me rethink how I appreciate and value not just women but the women around me, especially my mother. If I were to make one or two complaints, it would have to be the semi-slow character development in the beginning and the overuse of music throughout. For a brief moment, I worried that the story was taking a different turn. Now, while I do think music can help bring a scene to life, using it too much tends to bore me and makes me wonder if you’re using it as a cop-out. Fortunately, the excessive use of music subsided toward the end and significantly contributed to the third act. But even after two rewatches, it still hits just as hard as it did the first time. As always, I encourage everyone to watch the movie and judge for themselves. This writer gives Barbie 8/10 stars.